Some paths don’t move in a straight line. They’re shaped by grit, responsibility, and the willingness to keep choosing impact, even when the original plan changes. For Katherine Torres-Pummill, that path began in Queens, New York, where she was raised by a resilient single mother in a first-generation household surrounded by culture, community, and hard-earned lessons. She once imagined a future in law and public service, but her career in media revealed another way to serve: by telling stories, creating visibility, and helping communities be seen.
In this episode of the Tango Tango podcast, host Lloyd Knight sits down with Katherine Torres-Pummill, General Manager of Military & Defense at Recurrent Ventures, to discuss her journey from New York City to leading some of the most influential brands in the military and veteran space. Kathy reflects on growing up in Queens, working full-time while attending college at night, building a career across outdoor advertising, news, licensing, and digital media, and taking the leap that brought her into military media through We Are The Mighty.
They also discuss the growth of Recurrent Military & Defense, including Military Influencer Conference, MilSpouse Fest, We Are The Mighty, Task & Purpose, and TWZ. Kathy shares how these brands are working together to serve the military community through storytelling, journalism, events, resources, and connection. Today, her mission is focused on giving the microphone back to the community, elevating the people doing the work, and making sure veterans, spouses, service members, and military families have the visibility and support they deserve.
Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Intro
(02:47) Kathy’s Queens roots and first-generation grit
(04:33) The student who always sat up front
(05:26) Turning a VLP project into real impact
(08:11) From law school dreams to media purpose
(09:47) Working full-time and earning her degree
(15:18) Taking a chance on We Are The Mighty
(20:55) What MIC really means for the military community
(23:48) Expanding MilSpouse Fest to reach more families
(27:02) How We Are The Mighty tells military stories
(28:24) Task & Purpose and journalism that protects the community
(29:12) TWZ and trusted defense reporting
(32:09) Why MIC brings its mission to new cities
Additional Links & Resources:
Tango Tango is proudly sponsored by Supply Chain Now and CareSource Military and Veterans. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/leading-military-media-ecosystem-2tt13
